"Leave be granted to introduce a Bill to amend the Law with respect to assisted dying and for connected purposes."

It is a major rejection in a protracted campaign going back over a decade to get the law changed. In 2003 over 3000 people signed a postcard petition to say that they supported Voluntary Euthanasia. This was followed by an in-depth Select Committee Report which was largely ignored by parliament.

The future of the User Agreement and EU Passenger Rights - presentation

Dick Clague

The importance of the Irish sea routes for the Isle of Man is obvious to most residents, especially when there is an interruption to services as there has been in recent weeks.

Dependable sea links are of significant importance and we require reliable, year-round ferry and freight services at competitive prices to meet travel and business needs.

Ferry operations play a fundamental role in our economy and wellbeing.Yet many people do not fully understand the User Agreement under which the IOM Steam Packet Company operates its services.

Dick Clague spent many years working with the shipping industry, is the author of the book "Heysham Port - A Century of Manx and Irish Services" and was a founder member of TravelWatch IOM. He currently is its specialist in maritime passenger matters.

The current User Agreement is in place until 2020 with parties having an option to extend until 2026. The Department of Infrastructure is considering long term options for the continuance of strategic sea services and is seeking expressions of interest from operators who can provide passenger roll on/roll off freight ferry services.

In his illustrated talk Dick explained the pros and cons of the User Agreement and suggested changes needed if it is to serve the current and future needs of the Island. In addition he outlined the rights from which IOM ferry passengers benefit under the terms of EU Regulation 1177/2010.

Manx Legion Club

Market Hill, Douglas

Free Admission - All welcome

A year ago Phil Gawne was refused, by his Keys colleagues, leave to introduce a Bill to abolish the Legislative Council. He likened LegCo to an old settee, past its usefulness, unelected and unaccountable. He believed it was time to simplify parliamentary structure and tackle parliamentary expenditure largely left untouched by cutbacks.

Government as a Single Legal Entity:

The Plans behind the Plan

The Council of Ministers commissioned consultant Sir John Elvidge to report on creating the Isle of Man Government as a Single Legal Entity. It will be come before *November Tynwald for endorsement.

On the face of it the proposal seems sensible, but digging deeper some commentators see unintended consequences, believing it to fundamentally alter the relationship that the IOM citizen has with the State.

Civil rights campaigner Tristram Llewellyn Jones is one such person. He gave a presentation to an open meeting of the Liberal Vannin Party 12.11.12. and we publish the main points of his talk here.

[PAG is grateful to Liberal Vannin Party & Mr Llewellyn Jones for allowing us publish this here.]

* "That Tynwald endorses the report into Government as a Single Legal Entityby Sir John Elvidge and requests the Council of Ministers to report to Tynwald, by no later than June 2015, with recommendations on the means of implementing the proposals contained in the report."

The gulf between public opinion and our elected dictatorship on the User Agreement and its operation by the Steam Packet is staggering. They live in an Andersonopia1where a majorityof their out-of-touch selves rarely see a ferry from their first class perch on a plane out of here.

I'm sure, like me most are bloody angry that a foreign owned company have an Isle of Man Government agreed monopoly that ensures 36% profits2 for them and a shoestring service for us with a backup that is not designed to handle Irish Sea winters. Do they want to change this, do they heck! That might mean real political work.

The most recent illustration is the Department of Infrastructure's invitation to have an invitation (also known as 'Prior Information Notice' or PIN) this invitation was made on the 18th DECEMBER and elapses on 7th JANUARY.

Now, think.

Just suppose you wanted as few ferry operators as possible responding, what would you do?

Got it, let's have an invitation arranged for a minimum period, say three weeks tops, and let's issue it a week before Xmas. That way most senior management will be on holiday and miss it.

If that's not going on, DoI have made sure we are going to think it. It looks like the DoI are playing games with what is absolutely critical and a strategic necessity to everyone on this Island, not just some crusty in DoI.

Following complaints I understand that this deadline will be extended. A shame they didn't have the vision to see this coming before...

In a Andersonopian survey of Nobles consultants, a majority thought things were going swimmingly at Nobles; unfortunately, in a letter from them the opposite was true. They also love the ugliest nativity scenetm ever displayed. They are now voting with their feet.

Last available figure. For some reason they won't let us see recent figures.

It may be that the the mounting Public Sector Pension crisis is worse than thought.

In a detailed document published by the *Public Sector Pensions Authority, "IOM Government Unified Scheme 2011, Annual Report and Accounts 2012-2013" there is a gloomy set of notes at page 30 about the PSP funding gap. It is expected to "increase as a larger proportion of the Scheme's membership reaches retirement and that additional funding will be required from the Treasury".